Emergency crews and first responders were called to the scene of a motor vehicle accident involving a school bus in New Kensington on Friday around ten o'clock in the morning. One person was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses told investigators that a northbound Pontiac crossed the center line on Route 366 near Marlborough Drive and Memorial Park, driving head-on into the path of the school bus, on what area drivers call "a very dangerous stretch of road."
New Kensington's Police Chief told reporters that the driver of the vehicle in question died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. The driver's identity has not yet been revealed, as police are looking to contact next of kin before making any official statements. As of now, no students are said to have been injured in the accident; however, the driver of bus was taken to a local hospital to be treated.
According to district and bus company officials, the school bus was serving Highlands School District. The bus involved in the accident was actually one of two busses that takes kids from Highland High School to the Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville and back again on a daily basis. The students were being driven back to Highlands at the time of accident and all parents have been notified as to what happened, according to Highlands School District.
The Highlands School District representative also said that the bus is owned and operated by W.L. Roenigk, Inc., the area's largest school bus provider, and that Roenigk will comply with company policy, completing all of the necessary drug and alcohol tests on the driver. Police suspect no foul play on the part of the driver and witnesses say that it was likely a tragic case of poor road conditions that caused the Pontiac to spin out of control and hit the bus. Police are keeping Route 366 between Leechburg Road and Freeport Road and Route 56/Stevenson Boulevard closed for several hours while they investigate.
Remember, when winter storms hit and you must be on the road, the only thing you can do is slow down. Plan out your day the night before, get plenty of rest, and leave at a time conducive to your regular drive time plus added time for congested traffic. The winter has already proved to be a harsh one and this first storm of 2014 looks to be a precursor for more to come.
Source: WPXI.com, "Driver dies after crash involving school bus in New Kensington" 3 January 2014